environment - Latest News, Updates and Analysis

An aerial view of mud, debris and oil falling from a hill into a small body of water near the site of a powerhouse.

Yuba River Disaster: It could be coming to a river near you

Climate change and age are stressing California's water infrastructure, endangering struggling salmon populations and other wildlife.

By Keiko Mertz • 4 月 3, 2026

A mountain lion walks into a light source on top of foliage while two other cubs follow close behind as they look towards the frame.

California safeguards pumas as federal rules fail to protect their habitat

The state placed six mountain lion species on the threatened list, so road and land developers must evaluate projects to not isolate pumas.

By Tiffany Yap • 4 月 1, 2026

A mother in a black sweatshirt holds her son, wearing shaded glasses, in her embrace as they stand outside an open door to a school's health office, near a brick wall.

环境

How sewage pollution in a California beach town is affecting kids’ health: Headaches, rashes and more

Students in this San Diego beach town face sewage pollution that causes headaches, asthma, rashes and brain fog, as schools contend with sewage pollution from the Tijuana River.

经过

黛博拉·布伦南

• 3 月 26, 2026

Traffic on Highway 50 in Sacramento on June 30, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

If California forces state workers to commute, it passes up $225 million in savings. Can we afford that?

State workers must go to offices four days a week starting July 1. But if lawmakers let them telework, they’d save on gas and reduce carbon emissions.

By Wasim Ali • 3 月 20, 2026

A low, ground-level view looks along a damaged stretch of roadway where crews in safety gear work to repair the surface. A compact construction vehicle and scattered equipment line the site, while traffic cones and barriers mark the work zone against a backdrop of coastal mountains and light haze.

The $500 Million Lesson: California needs a new plan to protect Highway 1

Mudslides closed California's iconic coastal route in recent years, costing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost business, tourism and taxes.

By Stafford Nichols • 3 月 18, 2026

A wide shot of a grocery store produce section with a colorful assortment of fruit and vegetables arranged on display on plastic counters. In the background are shoppers walking around the aisles of the store as they shop

Don’t demonize plastic food packaging. Recycled, it’s better for the environment than some alternatives

Plastics are the most sustainable option. Food suppliers are decades away from other material that performs as well at food safety and waste.

By Kevin Kelly • 3 月 13, 2026

An illuminated gas station price sign displays the cost of regular, plus, and premium gasoline for cash and credit. The bright digital numbers stand out against a dark background.

As gas prices soar, California’s new carbon emission rules prompt a war of words

With some California gas prices topping $5 a gallon, anything that pushes prices even higher, like emissions crackdowns, will become a political football.

经过

丹·沃尔特斯

• 3 月 12, 2026

An aerial view shows a large data center complex surrounded by warehouses and industrial buildings in a dense urban area. The main structure has a white facade with vertical window slits and a flat roof filled with cooling units, pipes, and mechanical equipment.

California’s data centers should be models of affordable, clean electricity

With thoughtful planning, California can gain new data centers in ways that benefit ratepayers, improve grid reliability and minimize environmental harms.

By Sam Uden and Matthew Freedman • 3 月 11, 2026

Two people wearing hard hats work along the various tubes at a natural gas power plant.

California’s new governor must hold down clean energy costs, drive innovation

In polls voters say they want a cleaner energy future — but not if it wrecks jobs, doubles their bills or pushes out California’s middle class.

By Tracy Hernandez • 3 月 4, 2026

A natural gas pipeline in Chino Hills State Park on April 21, 2021. Photo by Lucy Nicholson, REUTERS

California should help neighborhoods in need ‘decarbonize,’ leave natural gas

Regulators can approve up to 30 neighborhood decarbonization zones. Will poorer neighborhoods get first shot at climate saving energy options?

By Jalal Awan • 3 月 3, 2026